Box spring mechanism



July 19, 1932. E. L. BRONSTIEN 1,367,872

BOX SPRING'MECHANISM Filed Oct. 5, 1929 '7 Sheets-Sheet 1 iNV ENTOR EdwardLBmnsfien ATTORNEY July 19, 1932. E. BRONSTIEN 1,867,872

BOX SPRINGMECHANISM Filed Odt. 5. 1929 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 YINVENTOR Edward L .Bronstz'm ATTORNEY July 19, 1932. BRONSTIEN 1,867,872

BOX SPRING' MECHANI SM Filed Oct. 5, 1929 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 I iNVENTOR Edw a-rd LBmnstien ATTORNEY y 1932- E. L. BRONSTIEN 1,867,872

BOX SPRING MEGHANI SM Filed Oct. 5, 1929 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 III/II'IIIIIIlllIllIIIIlIIIIIllIlllIIIIIlIIIIIllIIlI/IllIllllllllllllll Y S 7/////////4'II/I/ A INVENTOR FdwaJflL. Bronsfien a B I ATTORNEY July 19, 1932. L.. BRONSTIEN 1,867,872

BOX SPRING MECHANISM Filed Oct. 5. 1929 7 SheetsSheet 5 Fiy. 6.

INV E NTO R Edward LBronstien TTORNEY July 19, 1932. E. BRONSTEEN BOX SPRING MECHANISM '7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Oct. 5, 1929 iNVENTOR DdwardLBmnsLwn l TTORNEY E. L. BRONSTIEN BOX SPRINGMECHANISM July 1 9, 1932.

Filed Oct 5, 1929 '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 mo 0 0 Q o 0 mum ME 3 a p \M Q 1 1 mm W H 0 Q G C) O O O u un nnl'uununmw n iNVENTOR Edwani LBronstien TORNEY Patented July 19, 1932 UNITED STATES EDWARD L. BRONSTIEN OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA BOX srnrne MECHANISM Application filed October 5, 1929. Serial No. 397,572.

My invention relates to improvements in machine and method for constructing coil spring mattresses, wherein coil springs are placed in pockets making up the mattress.

5 An object of my invention is to provide improved means for feeding the springs and placing them in the material forming the mattress and sewing up the mattress to form the pockets with contained springs that will simplify and expedite the Work of constructing this type of mattress.

In carrying out my invention, I employ power operated mechanism wherein a plurality of coil springs are successively fed into the folded material of which the mattress is formed and compressed in the feeding operation, and held in a compressed position while the material is being sewed to form the pockets which hold the springs, the springs being then turned in an expanding position to properly fit within the pockets.

I also preferably employ means for tempering the springs in their passage through the machine.

These and other features of the invention will be more specifically set forth in the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a View in plan of the machine embodying my invention, shown partly broken away.

Figure 2 is a sectional view on line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is taken approximately on line 35 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a view in elevation, partly broken away, showing part of the feeding and associated tempering apparatus for the M springs. Figure 5 is a view in elevation of part of a step by step feeding mechanism of thesprings, taken on line 55 of Figure 7.

Figure 6 is a sectional View taken on line (36 of Figure 4 and looking toward a feed hopper forming part of the construction shown in Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a sectional view on line 77 of Figure 1. n Figure 8 is a view in top elevation taken on line 8-8 of Figure 7 and showing the covering plate illustrated in Figure 7 removed. Figure 9 is a sectional view on line -9-9 of Figure 7. i

Figure 10 is a. sectional view on line 1010 of Figure '2.

Figure 11 is a view in end elevation of the sewing mechanism shown in Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a view in end elevation of part of the drive mechanism taken on line 1212 of Figure 1; and

Figure 13 is a view in side elevation of the mechanism shown in Figure 12.

Referring to the drawings in detail, A represents the framework supporting the different parts of the operating mechanism. In carrying out my invention, a plurality of coil springs 2 are delivered from a spring forming machine 3 into a hopper 4. The spring forming machine 3 is of the usual construction, and, therefore, only indicated conventionally in the drawings. The construction of the hopper is particularly shown in Figure 6. As shown in Figure 6, the hopper is supported in connection with the spring forming machine 3, as indicated conventionally in Figure 3, the lower, smaller end of the hopper extending across a trough 5 forming part of the framework. A link belt 6, hereinafter more particularly described, travels throu h the hopper, as indicated in Figure 4. Tlie'hopper, at its lower-end, has a side door 7 for permitting the discharge of I springs from the hopper onto the endless belt 6. v Included within. the trough 5 is a tempering chamber 8, the endless chain .6 traveling through the trough and through this tempering chamber. The tempering chamber being of well'known construction, is merely conventionally shown. 9 indicates the usual gas feed for the tempering chamber. The chain of the belt travels over sprockets 10 positioned at different supporting points in the trough and tempering chamber; the lower sprocket 10, shown in Figure 4, being the driving sprocket, and the remaining sprockets, not shown, the idler sprockets. I The trough is provided with suit-able guides 11' on its side walls under which the chain travels.

In order to successively feed the coil springs from the hopper 4 to the chain, I provide the following mechanism:

A bracket 12, secured to and projecting outwardly from the lower end of the hinged gate 7, carries a rod 13 extending across and past the lower end of the hopper, said rod having pivotal connection at its opposite end with a lever arm 14 hingedly supported underneath the cover portion of the trough, as shown in Figure 4. The lower end of the lever arm 14 extends downwardly between cross bars 15 of the belt or chain. In the forward travel, therefore, of the chain, the cross bars 15 will successively contact with and turn the lever arm 14 forwardly to open the I gate 7 and permit a spring dropping upon the belt, between the adjacent cross bars 15. As soon as the cross bar actuates and passes the lever arm 14, the spring 16 will restore the lever arm 14 to normal position, holding the gate closed. The driving sprocket is driven from the wire machine 3, shown conventionally in Figure 3, through the driving shaft 17 c In actuation, the belt is actuated to carry the springs upwardly through the lower portion of the trough into and through the tempering chamber where the spring is properly tempered, and then carry the springs, as

shown .in Figure 4, from the tempering device down .to the spring compressing device 18. The compressing. device 18, as shown in Figure 4, is formed with a central transverse slot .through,which the carrier belt travels As shown in Figure 1, the compressing device has a-wide mouth to receive the spring, tapering toward its outlet end so as to-deliver the spring in a compressed condition. The outlet end of the compressing de vice terminates in the separated plates 19 and 20 between which plates the springs are pushed by the cross bars 15 of the carrier (see Figure 7). As the spring is forced between the plates 19 and 20, a dog 21 is projected inside thespring to the position shown in Figure 9. v This cam is actuated in the follow ing described manner a The camslides through a guideway 22 secured upon the outer face of the plate 19 and through a slotted opening in the plate. The dog 21 is actuated by anarm 23 having slot and pin connection 24 with the dog and pivotal support 25 at its upper end on the framework (see Figure 5). The arm 23 is normally held in restrained position by a spring 26. An adjustable link'27 connects the arm 23 with an arm 28 having pivotal support 29 at its upper end and havinga laterally bent lower end 30 normally projecting between the cross bars of the carrier chain as travels around the sprocket 10. Therefore, as the sprocket 10 is rotated, the cross'bars 15 suc' link 27 actuating the arm 23 to slide the dog 21 forwardly and carry a spring from the right hand position shown in Figure 9 to the left hand position shown.

The return movement of the dog will carry it back into the solid line position shown in Figure 9 to project into the next spring, the end of the dog being beveled in the ordinary manner to pass back over the spring already placed in the left hand position shown in Figure 9. WV hen the spring reaches the left 1 hand position shown in Figure 9, dog 31 is projected into it in the manner shown in Figure 7, and is carried forwardly to carry the spring forwardly into position underneath the dog 32. In this forward movement of the dog 31, the door 33 forming part of the lower hinged end of the wall 20, will be swung outwardly by the forward movement to permit the spring being carred from be tween the walls 19 and 20. The dog 32 is a spring pressed dog normally held by spring pressure in the full line position shown in Figure 7. 34 indicates a main feed bar which supports a plurality of pivoted dogs 35 normally upwardly pressed by springs 36..

While the above described operation is taking place, the spring pressed dogs 35 will not be in the solid line position shownin Figure 7, but the dog 35 shown in detail in Figure 7 will be in a position in contact with a previous spring in its next movement of sliding, so that "he dog 31 is free tobe forced forward to carry the engaged spring past and underneath the first (log 32. In Figure 7 one dog 35 and one dog 32 are shown in detail. A succession of these dogs is carried by the feed bar 34, the remainder bein convention ally shown. The dogs 31 an d 35 are all carried by the feed bar 34, and the feed bar 34 is actuated from the driving mechanism through the link 37, cam lever 38, and cam 39 supported upon the main drive shaft 40. The main drive shaft 40 is operated through the gears 41, shaft 42, and chain drive 43 with the drive shaft 44 of the wire machine. The dog 31 is heldin its normal position by a spring 45. The feed bar 34 slides within a supporting bloclr46 forming part of the framework. p

A cover plate 47 is positioned above the feed bar forwardly oft-he plates 19 and-20, with the end of the covering plate toward the plates 19 and 20 and with the end 48 of the plate adjacent the plates 19 and 20 being upwardly curved to permit the compressed spring being swung from the vertical position shown in Figure 7 to the horizontal position shown. As indicated in Figure 7, the springs stand compressed between the feed bar and the covering plate 4'? in the step by step forward travel of the springs. From the left hand dog 32, shown in Figure 7', the next forward movement of the feed bar carries the spring forwardly overand past the next dog 35, the bar then being returned to normal position to receive another spring. There is thus a step by step passage of the springs through the space between the feed bar and the covering plate 47. The last step in the travel of the springs between the bar 34 and covering plate 47 is the pushing of the spring into the string holding shuttle 49. The shuttle is actuated by means of a link 50 having pivotal connection 51 at one end with the shuttle, and the link 51 having pivotal connection 52 at its other end with the drive arm 53. The drive arm 53 has operative connection through the shaft mechanism 541- with the operating cam 55 upon the main drive shaft. In the actuation of the above mechanism, the shuttle is carried into the position shown in Figure 7 to receive a spring and then out into the position shown in Figure 1 beyond the feed bar and covering plate. To prevent the spring, after the parts reach the position shown in Figure 1, passing back between the feed bar and covering plate, I employ a stripper bar 56 supported as shown in Figure 1 by parallel pivoted'links 57 and 58, the link 58 constituting an actuating arm for the stripper. The link 58 is connected with a vertical shaft 59 which shaft 59 is operatively connected by a cam lever mechanism 60 with a cam 61 upon the main driving shaft. As the spring is carried to the dotted line position shown in Figure 1', the stripper is actuated to pass behind the spring, as shown. In this position of the spring it stands in the runway 62 extending longitudinally of the machine. In this runway is positioned a folded strip of fabric 63 into which the springs are carried to form the mattress. This fabric is foleed and is passed through the runway folded with one side open until it reaches the sewing apparatus, hereinafter described. The runway, as shown in Figure 2, toward its entrance end, is enlarged to receive the shuttle and from there on to the outlet, the upper and lower walls of the runway are brought closer together. As the shuttle is moved into the position shown in Figure 1, it is moved between the opposite walls of the fabric so that in this position the shuttle with the contained spring stands within the fabric. the shuttie is moved back into position between the feed bar 34 and the covering plate 47, the stripper 56 contacting with the spring holds the spring within the fabric.

The next operation of the machine carries 1 v LllG fabric one step forward with the con tamed spring. The continued narrow portion of the runway re-comprcsses the spring.

The fabric, with the contained springs, is

caused to travel in a step by step manner through the runway by the feed mechanism, shown particularly in Figures 1, 12, and 13. The cloth travels between rubber covered drums 65 and 66, the drums being driven by the gearing 67. A pair of similarv drums are supported at each end of the machine, as shown in Figure 2. The operating mechanism for the drums in the two ends of the machine is connected in synchronization with the drive shaft. F igures 12 and 13 specifically show one set of this operating mechanism. A counte-rshaft 68 is connected with the drive shaft and sup ports a cam 69. The cam 69 actuates a lever arm 70 which lever arm 70 has pivotal support 71 at one end and a micrometer adjustment at its free end with a link 72. The opposite end of the link 72 is connected with a lever arm 73. The lever arm 73 at its free end carries roller clutch mechanism 74, which includes the roller 75 engaging with the periphery of the clutch disk 76 secured upon the shaft of the drum 65. A fixed arm 77 supports corresponding clutch member 75 to hold the disk in position after being actuated.

As shown in Figure 12 the clutch members 74:

have inclined faces between which and the clutch disk 76 the rollers fit and are held in position by springs 7 8 to constitute a wedging grip upon the clutch disk. Consequently, in the turning of the lever arm 73, the gripping engagement of the clutch mechanism carried by the lever arm with the clutch disk 7 6 will partly rotate the clutch disk and the clutch mechanism carried by the arm 77 will hold the clutch disk inposition as the lever arm 73 is returned to normal position ready for the next operation. a

It will thus be evident that such step by step rotation of the drums 65 and 66 being in synchronization with the other step by step operations of the machine, first to the sewing apparatus shown specifically in F igures 10 and 11 for cross stitching between the springs, and next to a sewing apparatus for stitching the edge of the strip and completing the making of enclosing pockets for the springs. The sewing apparatus in the main is of usual construction. The sewing apparatus shown in Figures 10 and 11 for doing the cross stitching of necessity must travel across the fabric and is, consequently, mounted upon the transversely slidable plate 79. The plate 79 is actuated through lever arm 80 and cam connection 81 with the drive shaft 40. The sewing mechanism is operated by a belt connection 82 to the drive shaft 83, which shaft 83 has a pulley and belt connection 84 and 85 with the motor 86. 87 indicates a weighted take-up for the drive belt 82 to compensate for the driving movement of the sewing machine. The table 79 travels between rolls 88 and 89 supported below and above the table from the framework of the machine to constitute a roller bearing for the table.

In order to hold the material with the contained spring flattened during the sewing operation, I provide the pivotally supported arms 90 having gripper ends 91 to engage the cloth and hold it flattened in the actuation of the arm 90. The arms 90 are actuated through links 92 connecting the gripper arms with the outer ends of lever arms 93, the lever arms 93 having central pivotal support at 94': and at their inner free ends engaging with rails95 carriedby the table 79. As shown in Figure 11 a pair of these gripper arms are provided one upon each side of the sewin mechanism. As shown in Figures and ii the inner ends of the arms 93 stand forwardly of the raised portion of the rails 95. As the table 7 9 is carried forwardly for the sewing operation, the rails pass underneath and raise the free ends of the lever arms 93 and through the connecting mechanism turn the gripper arms into contact with the cloth and contained spring. The gripping mechanism is thereby held in contact with the cloth and contained spring to hold the same flattened as the cross stitching is taking place. Theparts are so constructed and arranged that the gripper arms are held in contact with the fabric until the table and supported machine with raised needle is carried back to normal position, at which point the gripper arms become released and the continued operation of the machine carries the fabric forwardly to the next operation of sewing. The fabric after leaving the cross stitching machine passes to the machine 96 which is of usual coi1struction and positioned to stitch along the free edges of the fabric. The stitching machine 96 has a belt drive connection 97 with the shaft 83. Included within the drive connection is clutch mechanism 98 operated by a cam mechanism 99 from the shaft to bring about actuation of the sewing mechanism in the forward travel of the fabric, but to disconnect it while the fabric is not traveling, during the operation of cross stitchin The different clutch and drive mechanism employed may be of any usual construction, and I do not restrict myself to the particular forms of clutch and drive mechanism employed in operating the different parts of my machine andsynchronizing the different operations.

Among the essential characteristics of my invention is the initial compressing of the spring in. its travel through the machine and delivering that compressed spring into the folded fabric and stitching the edge of the fabric with the contained spring held in a compressed position, so that the strip of material is rapidly, in a step by step manner, drawn through the machine and delivered in the form of a fabric tube consisting of a succession of pockets containing the springs, the springs being turned into their proper expanded position within the pockets after they'are delivered from the machine. By

, means of the different operative features shown and described and the synchronization of the different operations in connection with the main drive shaft, the tempering and delivering of the springs into the folded fabric, and the sewing of the fabric into a tube with the spring containing pockets, is performed in a particularly eflicient and expeditious manner.

I claim:

1. A machine of the class described for feeding a plurality of coil spring to a folded strip and sewing the strip to form containing pockets for the springs, comprising a spring containing hopper with a normally closed outlet gate, a conveyor, means actuated from the conveyor to successively open the gate of said hopper permit the successive dropping of coil springs from said hopper onto said conveyor, a guideway arranged in connection with said conveyor to receive and compress said springs, means for conveying a folded strip of material through the machine, means for delivering said springs from the compressing guide-way in compressed condition within the folded strip, a sewing mechanism operative in synchronization with the step by step travel of said strip to cross stitch said strip between adjacent springs, means for holding the strip and springcompressed during the sewing operation, and a sewing mechanism operative to stitch together the edges of said strip.

2. A mechanism of the character described comprising a coil spring conveyor, a camway adjacent to said conveyor to receive and compress coil springs carried in said conveyor, a pair of reciprocable feeding jaws spaced apart to receive a compressed spring therebetween, a reciprocable pawl positioned to propel a compressed spring from said camway into said feeding jaws, guide means positioned in substantial alinement with said feeding jaws, means for feeding a folded strip of fabric through said guideway, a stripping member mounted to normally lie out of the path of reciprocal movement of the feeding jaws and to be projected into position across the rear end of said jaws during a retractivc movement thereof to retain spring held in compression between said jaws against retractiontherewith, feed means mounted to alternately advance and stop said strip, sewing means mounted to sew across'said strip while stopped and to remain inoperative during an advance thereof, and a presser bar mounted across and above said strip and being opcratively connected to said mechanism to be moved clownwardly in contact with said strip during a period of stoppage thereof adjacent the transverse sewing means to hold the strip 1n compression. I

3. A mechanism of the character described, comprising a coil spring conveyor, means operatively associated with said conveyor to compress springs carried thereby, a pair of feed jaws mounted for reciprocal movement adjacent said compressin means, means mounted to move a compressed spring from said compressing means to said feed jaws, and adapted to receive a foldled strip of fabric positioned with its open edge in front of said feed jaws to receive said feed jaws during a forward movement thereof, stripping means mounted to retain aspring held in said feed aws against retraction during a retractive movement of said feed jaws, means mounted to alternately advance and stop a folded strip of cloth through said mechanism, power driven sewing means mounted to sew laterally across said folded strip of fabric during a stoppage thereof and to remain inoperative during an advance thereof, and a presser bar mounted adjacent to said transverse sewing means and being operatively connected to said mechanism to be moved downwardly to compress said strip during a stoppage thereof.

4. A mechanism of the character described, comprising a guideway for a folded cloth strip, feed means associated with said feedway to alternately advance and stop a folded strip of cloth theretlirough, spring inserted means mounted to insert a spring between the folds of a strip of cloth in said feedway, a movable sewing machine support member mounted to move transversely of said guideway, actuating means associated with said support to move said support transversely of said strip during a stoppage thereof, a sewing machine mounted on said support, means connected to operate said sewing ma chine during a movement thereof transverselv of said strip, a presser bar mounted parallel to the line of movement of said sewing machine and laterally adjacent to the line of sewing thereof, and cam means associated with said support to move said presser bar into pressing engagement with said strip during an operative movement of said sewing machine support.

5. In a mechanism of the character described, comprising a feedway for coil springs, said feedway comprising a top and a bottom member spaced apart, feed means operatively associated therewith to feed a folded strip of cloth therethrough, a second feedway in lateral alinement with said feedway, a spring conveying mechanism, cam means mounted in alinement with said conveying mechanism, to compress a coil spring carried by said spring conveyor, a reciprocating member mounted to engage a coil spring compressed by said cam surfaces and advance said spring into said lateral feedway, a plurality of reciprocating pawls mounted in said lateral feedway to advance said springs toward said first feedway during a forward movement of said pawls and to move into engagement with the next successive spring during a retractive movement of said pawls, and a plurality of non-recip- 'rocating pawls mounted in said feedway to grip a spring upon the advancement thereof by said reciprocating pawls and to prevent retraction thereof during a retractive movement of said reciprocating pawls. r v

6. A mechanism of the character described,

comprising a fiexible conveyor belthaving a plurality of apertures therein to'each receive a coil spring with the axis of Isa-id spring disposed at right angles to the direction of travel of said conveyor, cam means mounted in the path of said conveyor to engage the ends of said coil spring and compress it in the direction of its axis, a reciprocating member mounted to engage a coil spring compressed by said cam means and to move said spring in compressed position to a lateral feedway, a lateral feedway positioned to receive-said spring, said feedway having an aperture therethrough of a size to receive said spring in compressed condition, feed means mounted to advance said spring through said feedway, a pair of reciprocating feed jaws mounted to receive said spring in said feedway and advance said spring forwardly of said feedway, a second feedway at right angles to said first feedway and having an aperture therethrough of a size to receive said coil spring in compression, stripping means mounted to project between said feed jaws at the completion of a forwardv movement thereof to strip a spring held therebetween during a retractive movement of said feed iaws, said second feedway being adapted to receive a folded strip of cloth mounted to receive a spring advanced into said second feedway by said feeding jaws between the folds of said cloth strip, and cloth feeding mechanism associated with said second feedway to advance said strip of cloth a predetermined distance upon the insertion therein of a spring by said feed jaws.

7. In a mechanism of the character described, a guideway for a folded cloth strip. comprising upper and lower walls spaced apart to receive a coil spring in compression therebetween, spring inserting means mounted adjacent said guideway to insert a compressed coil spring between the folds of a cloth strip in said guideway, feed mechanism operatively associated with said guideway and said spring inserting mechanism to alternately advance said folded cloth strip a predetermined distance upon the insertion of each coiled spring betweenthe folds thereof and then stop said strip, a transversely movable sewing machine support member, operative means associated therewith to move said sewing machine support member transversely of said strip of cloth during a stoppage thereof, a sewing its machine mounted on said support member to sew the folds of said cloth strip together during a stop age of said 010th strip, a vertically ,movab e presser bar mounted laterally adjacent to a line of sewing of said sewing machine and means operatively connecting said presser bar and said sewing machine support to move said presser bar into engagement With said cloth strip during a sewing operation and to release said presser bar from engagement with said cloth strip upon the retraction of said sewing ma- .chine support member.

In testimony whereof I afiir; my signature. I

EDWARD L. BRONSTIEN. 

